perspective and what is important

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-12-2006
perspective and what is important
3
Sun, 11-05-2006 - 8:25am
hello all, sometimes i get way too, into myself, and things that bug me are so insignificant in the grande scheme of things. I was at church this morning, and afterwards we do coffee, and we merged with the church down the road for coffee cause we don't have a hall, ussually we do it outside the weather here is usually good, but the bishop was at this church so we all went over there too. Anyway, i had to get there via the backroads, cause there was a marathon, on Marathon Avenue (for you that don't know, history lesson...the marathon originated in Greece from this place called Marathonas, all the way into the city centre of athens, well, my church is off of this road, and today they were having a marathon, and nobody ever knows so all the traffic was crazy, as usuall, anyway, so we did get to church.
Finally, we go for coffee and i run, into an old colleague of mine, cause on top of it being marathon, day, bishop day, it is also, families with many children day so i got to meet his four kids, he had none when i knew him, and it was a shock to see him with so many kids cause he was such a polished looking business professional. I used to work at a university, my job was "target board for upper management hostilities", believe me i am a perfect junior manager:) Anyway, he was in the business school.
I was real pissy at church today, i didn't even take communion, cause i have been real p.od,at my hubby, and also still have a bit of tonsil swlling, i don't take antibiotics, ever hardly, unless i am sick as a dog! So, here i am complaining and seething in secret, and well, just defiant, and i ran into, Dimitri, and his familly and he informs, me that a colleague who i knew very well, and considered a working friend, in fact he was like someone who was responsible for me being on board, and he used to drive me home when i used to work till late, cause he was there with me about 3 times a week.
Anyway, this person, died. Suddenly, a lot of perspective came into my life. Where as this man had a lovely home, had a very nice life, wife, son, money, summer homes, prestige, he used to be the biggest complainer in the world, and never happy, while he drove me home in his top new Germany bought mercedes, he bought a new one every year. I used to live on so little money then i literally could not afford to drink soda pop, with my meals, and actually, i was real happy, because i was living lean, and honest.
My life is much more materialistically comfortable now, so when i get pissy i have to really take a good look and value what i do have.
I wish i would have known sooner he had died i would have liked to have gone to his funeral, but, well, the lesson, for me was to cut it out, and be gratefull, and not focus on all that is wrong, in my life, cause not everything is wrong, there is a lot of good and life is so short.
arie
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Sun, 11-05-2006 - 10:13pm

You know, I can relate. I have a lot of issues with that too. I get so hung up on the piddly little crap that I don't see the bigger picture sometimes and realize how incredibly blessed I am. . . I had a stressful day at my parents' house today, and this was really important for me to read tonight. I have soooooo much to be thankful for, even if my life isn't perfect, it's pretty darn close!! I have 4 beautiful healthy children, a wonderful husband, great ILs, a good relationship with my sisters, good friends, financial security, my own health. . . The list could go on and on. And yet I am constantly sweating the petty stuff when I should just be petting the sweaty stuff ;) Thanks for the reminder!!

BTW, my brother's name is Dimitri :)

Sofia




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iVillage Member
Registered: 10-12-2006
Mon, 11-06-2006 - 6:22am
hey sofia, was wondering if your Greek mom, did her job and criticized you to death:) My brother's name is Dimitri, my husbands, name is Dimitri, my BIL, name is Dimitri. My brother we call Jim, my hubby Jimmy, my brother in law Mimi. Half, of Greece is called Dimitri. Anyway, you gotta love Greek families, they love to put you through the emotional wringer, its like you gotta suffer for their love or something, or else it doesn't count. They are so over the top emotionally sometimes! Sorry you had a stressfull time at your mom's. Have a good week this week, start fresh and de-stress.
arie
iVillage Member
Registered: 11-13-2003
Tue, 11-07-2006 - 2:36am

Arie, that is so true, and so also, so sad that you had to find out about an old friends passing in that way.


Life is short, and I try to tell myself that daily. I try to look beyond the "things" that bother me about my life, because I know too well, that in an instant, it, or they can all be gone.


I have lost many people that were very close to me, and it was heartbreaking. Some expected, and some sudden. None the less, tragic in everyway.


Sorry for your loss.

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